Jaden Springer is one of the top players in the 2020 recruiting class. Which NCAA basketball programs are still alive in his recruitment?
Recruiting is heating up around the country regarding some of the top prospects in the 2020 class. Now that many of the top programs are involved in landing some of the best players in the class, there is even more attention surrounding those that could be future stars at the next level. Among these players is clearly Jaden Springer, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard oozing with potential as a high-major superstar. He is currently rated as the No. 11 overall player in the class and is clearly being targeted by the “best of the best” in college basketball. He is currently playing for IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL, and will be a valuable asset to whichever team lands his commitment.
As of July 8th, though, that list of schools still in contention has been cut to five. This trimming of his list has still left some of the best programs in the nation vying for his decision. Tennessee, Florida, Michigan, Memphis, and North Carolina are the teams that are still left in the running. As a player, he would impact each one right away during the 2020-21 season as one of the top shooting guard prospects in the class. He already brings an exceptionally built and muscular frame to the table for a guard and scores at all three levels. On the defensive end, he uses his quickness and strength to be a potential lockdown wing. He has been playing on the UAA circuit so far this year and performing admirably.
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Springer is clearly one of the best players in this class and his decision will set one of these teams up for a monster 2020 recruiting class. Duke currently has snagged the top two commits from the class and these five elite recruiting programs are looking to add a five-star talent themselves. So, with Springer’s recruitment gathering more attention and possibly winding down, let’s take a close look at his final five schools and how he might fit.
Tennessee Volunteers
Head coach Rick Barnes has Tennessee trending in the right direction. After posting two incredible seasons in a row, he landed an elite recruit during this past season in Josiah James and the recruiting victories are only starting to pile up for the program. After seeing three players get selected at the NBA Draft, the Volunteers are in great shape to make a pitch to top-rated prospects. Jaden Springer could definitely be near the top of their list as one of the best shooting guards in the class.
It is also important to mention that Tennessee is already on the board with regards to 2020 recruiting. Even though it is early in the recruiting season, the Volunteers have secured a commitment from Corey Walker, a forward that is ranked as the No. 34 overall recruit in the class. Springer would be able to easily fit alongside him in the rotation and that would make for an incredibly deadly combo for the Volunteers. If Coach Barnes is able to pull this commitment off, the program would be even further on the way to consistent relevance in the SEC year after year.
Tennessee is already coming off of two great seasons and the coaching staff has landed a top-50 recruit in the 2019 and 2020 classes. Will another join the rankings in Jaden Springer? It might not seem especially likely but the coaching staff has closed well as of late and teaming up with Walker to continue building up the Tennessee program as a constant top-25 threat might be a tantalizing pitch. Oh, and let’s not forget about how many Tennessee players were drafted in late June.
Florida Gators
Florida has somehow flown under the radar as one of the best recruiting programs in the nation over the past several years. Head coach Mike White has really done a tremendous job landing top-rated recruits year after year and it seems as though he is only just hitting his stride. The Gators landed the No. 7 overall recruiting class for 2019 and Springer would be a great start to 2020 for the crew down in Gainesville. Florida is not necessarily known for”one-and-done” talented but it is hard to ignore the potential powerhouse that is growing in the UF program.
Coach White is securing some of the top talents every year that have the potential to spend multiple years in the program. By the time Springer would arrive, the Gators should be quite stacked and potentially coming off of an incredible season. Now that Kerry Blackshear Jr. is in tow, many have already pegged the Gators as a top-10 team in the nation for 2019-20 and there should be some solid pieces returning for when Springer arrives if he chooses UF.
With regards to his fit on the roster, there would definitely be room for Springer to emerge as a major contributor as a freshman. Scottie Lewis, the Gators’ top-ranked recruit in 2019, will likely be a “one-and-done” on the wing and this would open the door for Springer to come in and potentially slide next to then-juniors Andrew Nembhard and Noah Locke if both of them were to decide to stay another year. To put it simply, there would be a logical fit for Springer on what would likely be a very talented team.
Michigan Wolverines
Michigan is an interesting spot with regards to recruiting. Now that former star Juwan Howard is now the head coach, the Wolverines could experience a major shift. Of course, the program was especially successful under Coach Beilein but this was often a result of his impeccable system and coaching. Howard, on the other hand, has the potential to lead an impressive recruiting program while also showcasing that he has spent several years as an assistant at the NBA level. When Coach Howard was announced as the new leader at UM, many immediately jumped to comparing him to Coach Hardaway at Memphis, who has instantly made massive recruiting strides.
Those are some expectations to set for Coach Howard but the potential is there. He has already landed a solid 2019 commit in Franz Wagner while getting off to a nice start with his offers and early interest in the 2020 class. He was able to retain a commitment from 2020 point guard Zeb Jackson upon taking the job and the hope is that Jaden Springer will join the ranks soon. A commitment from the 6-foot-4 shooting guard would lock up the future backcourt for the Wolverines.
Prior to this last cut, Michigan was not a member of Springer’s top-11. It is clear that Coach Howard and Co. have done an incredible job getting involved in this recruitment and are making a serious pitch to potentially land the young stud. Considering they joined this recruitment later than the other players, this could speak volumes of Coach Howard’s recruiting ability, especially if he is able to land the talented shooting guard. Springer could be a superb fit in the backcourt for the Wolverines, but that may depend on the system that Coach Howard wants to implement.
Memphis Tigers
Head coach Penny Hardaway has been absolutely incredible on the recruiting trail for the Memphis Tigers since taking over with the program. While posting a somewhat mediocre first year on the sidelines, the former star was able to land the No. 1 overall recruiting class in the nation for 2019 and the future looks unbelievably bright for the program. His recruiting prowess is already well-known and many have projected that the Tigers will be a top-25 team in the nation during this coming season. If that turns out to be the case, there are a few players that could depart for the NBA after just one season.
Given that, it makes sense that Coach Hardaway is on the lookout for top-rated commitments from the 2020 class and Springer should be near the top of that list. He is an outstanding shooting guard prospect and has the potential to impact the game in a variety of ways. It should be no secret that Memphis is already a recruiting powerhouse under Coach Hardaway and I do not want to be the one to count them out in any recruitment at this point. The Tigers are hot on the trail and will be hard to prevent from landing a commitment.
Landing an early commitment from a player of Springer’s caliber would put Memphis right back on track for another elite recruiting class. For the time being, it is very difficult to project exactly how many scholarships will be available for Coach Hardaway for the 2020 class but an early commit from Springer would only be tremendous news. His abilities to fill it up and potentially lock in on the other end of the floor are perhaps second-to-none in this class. He is uniquely talented and there is no such thing as too much talent. The coaching staff would just have to know to manage it. We will soon find out how the Tigers will play with the No. 1 overall recruiting class and landing Springer would be another step to potentially prolonged success.
North Carolina Tar Heels
North Carolina is one of the top college basketball programs in the nation every single season. Under the leadership of head coach Roy Williams, the program is seemingly always in the hunt for a top-rated seed in the NCAA Tournament and in contention to win it all. This has been the case for the last several years and it seems extremely unlikely that it will change in the near future. Because of that, they are in the running for just about any recruit that they are interested in. This does not necessarily mean that they will land all of their targets, but they are almost always worthy of serious consideration. That is also the case with Jaden Springer and, if 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions are to be trusted, UNC might even be the favorite at this point in time.
It is hard to exactly say what North Carolina’s rotation will look like by the time that Springer would arrive, but he would be an immediate impact player. As the No. 11 overall prospect in the entire class, it is reasonable to assume that Springer would receive his fair share of playing time at whichever school he chooses. North Carolina might not have the best reputation as of late compared to Duke and Kentucky with sending players to the NBA, but the Tar Heels can always be counted on to develop players well and prepare them for getting drafted. See Coby White as perhaps the best example of late.
North Carolina will always have room on the roster for an elite guard such as Springer. After this coming season, the program will lose two major backcourt pieces in Christian Keeling (SR) and Cole Anthony (FR). This will open the door for at least one incoming guard. Springer could fit that bill and he would likely be an immediate starter for the program. He does so many things well on the court and they could be in need of finding an “instant offense” player with those two departing.
That concludes this look at the final five schools on Jaden Springer’s list. All of the programs represent some of the “best of the best” in college basketball and he would be an excellent fit at many. No matter what, you can be sure that Springer will be a name to remember heading into the 2020-21 season.